Harvester



3 G. GRATTAN. HARVBSTE Patented Deo. Z9, 1885.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 C. GRATT'AN.

HARVESTER.v

Patented Dee. 29, 1885.I

N. PETERS, PhMmLilhugrlphur. Wnsh nnnnnn C.

(-No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

o. GRATTAN. HARVESTER.

No. 333,124. Patented Dec. 29, 1885..

i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEo CHRISTOPHER GRATTAN, CF STCCKTON, CALIFORNIA.

HARVESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 333,124, dated December 29, 1885,

Application tiled May, 1884.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, CHRISTOPHER GRATTAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stockton, in the county of San Joaquin and State of California, have invented certai-n new and useful Improvements in Harvesters, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to an improvement in harvesters for gathering and thrashing grain; and it consists, tirst, in a frame for the Inachine, which is suitable to have the thrashing and cleaning mechanism placed upon it, and the cutting and conveying apparatus secured to its front; second, in a lever apparatus for conveniently handling the entire machine; third, in levers and attachments by means of which the pitch of the machine may be controlled simultaneously or independently from either one of the platforms; fourth, in a rotary self-feeder;and, tii'th, in the combination and arrangement of devices that will be incre fully set forth hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

I n the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective of the front of a machine embodying my invention, showing the cutting and conveying apparatus attached thereto complete,with the exception of the reel. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are respectively plan, end, and side elevation views ot' the rotary feed-cylinder and its supporting-arms. Fig. 5 is a top plan view ofthe frame of the machine, showing the lever apparatus. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the handling-lever and iron beam connecting the pushing-tongue of the machine with the main frame.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the machine from front io rear, showing certain parts of it, in connection with those features claimed as new. Fig. Sis aperspective of the rear operating-lever.

The frame of my machine, upon which the operating apparatus is supported, consists, preferably,of the main cross rear beam, B, and the main cross front beam, B2, and the longitudinal beams S, S, Sz, S3, and S4. All of the longitudinall beams are bolted at their rear ends to the cross-beam B, and at their front ends to the beam B2, with the exception of the beam S2, which at its front end bolts to a cross- SerialNo. 132,156. (No model.)

beam, B. To the beams S and S are secured the journal-bearings of the axle of the carrying-Wheel F, which also operates the driving mechanism of the machine. The journalbearings of the carrying-wheel G are upon the beams S3 and S4. An angular iron brace, A3, is pivoted to the beam S3 near the end of the axle of the wheel G. Another, A4, in adirect line therefrom to the beam S, and a third, A5, in a direct line therefrom to the beam S, at the end ofthe axle of the wheel F. These three iron braces extend rearwardly, and are rigidly attached, as follows: A3 and A4 to a diagonal brace, A, extending from one end of a cross-brace, A, (which is attached at its other end to the pushing-tongue A,) to the tongue A, and the third iron brace, A, is attached at its rear end to the side of the tongue A, these three iron braces being really extensions of the tongue A, and serving to attach it flexibly to the machine-frame, so as to permitthetilting movement necessary in this class of machines to change their slope or pitch when in operation in the harvest-field.

The tongue A has-a guideV and supporting by means of which the pitch of the machine maybemore readily changed. This I-accoml plish by attaching a platform, D, outside of the wheel G, at the ends of supporting crossbeams C and B. The beam C is attached to the beams S2, S3, and S, and the beam B to beams S', S2, S3, and S4. A lever, E, has its handling end over this platform D, i reach ofthe operator, and the back end is lexibly attached by connecting-iron E2 to diagonal brace A, and has its fulcrum in vertical post E', seated upon beam B. By means of these IOC devices the pitch of the machine may be conl trolled simultaneously or independently froml platforms D and H2. To the tongue A the horses for propelling and actuating the machine are att-ached.

Upon the frame-work above described is also constructed the thrashing and cleaning apparatus, the former of which is indicated by the dotted lines on Fig. 5, a vertical section of which is shownin Fig. 7. rlhe cutting and conveying apparatus is attached to the frontofthe beams B' and B, No particular method of construction is claimed for the cutting apparatus or for the thrashing and cleaning apparatus. i

The cutting and conveying apparatus consists of a transverse trough composed of a back side-board, K, with a wire screen, J', over it to save the grain from falling rearward, and a front bar, O, which contains the fingers and cuttingknives,actuated by any desired mechanism. Areceiving-draper, L, propelled by suitable rollers, pulleys, and belts, runs in this trough and receives the cut grain, andconveysittoacross feeder-draper,M, which delivers it at the mouth of a cylinder, I?, lo

cated directly at the end of the side-board, K, and at the rear of the feed-draper M, and having the journal-bearings of its shaft in vertical posts S5 S5, attached to beams S and S'. A fenderboard, N, parallel with and on the outside of the feederdraper M, prevents the cut grain from dropping off the machine.

In order to accelerate the How of the gra-in into the cylinderP from the feeder-draper M, and to prevent its bunching77 or becoming matted together,a rotary feed-cylinder R, provided with teeth, is suspended over the mouth of the cylinder by angular arms R', attached to the vertical cylinder-posts S5 S5 by bolts a. The heads of these arms B' are provided each with a slot, r, for reception of bolts a, so that the distance of the feeder R above the draperfeeder M may be readily controlled and regulated for light or heavy grain. By this device a much smaller cylinder, P, may be einployed, t-hus reducing the weight and friction and requiring much less horse-power than is ordinarily employed in such machines.

Just back oi' the'cylinderis a frame, I,which may contain any desired style of conveyers and straw-carriers and cleaning apparatus; but as I claim nothing new or novel in any of these features they are not fully shown or described, and are omitted, except so far as is necessary to connect my invention therewith.

Immediately back of the cylinder in the trunk I, suitably mounted in boxes, is a rotary beater, T, which serves further to stir up the grain and separate it as it leaves the cylinder. r It has been usual to return the tailings from the sieves of this class ot' machines to the front of the cylinder, thereby causing a stream of clear tailings to enter the cylinder simultaneousl y and with out equal distribution through the primary grain, straw being run through it, thereby rendering the kernels of these tailings more liable to be cracked. I overcome this objection by providing a trough, J, ex-

tending diagonally from the rear of the trunk I, and having its delivery end through the Vscreen J over the side K ofthe drapertrough,

so that the tailings are emptied upon the draper L at its center and mingled and distributed among the primary grain, straw being conveyed to the feeder-draper M by the draper L.

The gearing and belting for driving the machine are common and well known; hence they are not described or shown, except to a limited extent, it being only requisite that the parts be driven in a proper direction and at suitable speeds.

I am aware that many of the separate features of the entirety of what I have shown are old: but

What I claim as new and of my invention 1s- 1. A frame adapted for a combined harvesting-machine, said frame composed of the crossbeams B, C, B', and B2, longitudinal beams S, S', S2, S5, and S, pushing-tongue A with platform H5", and platform D, parallel with beam S, and attached to outer ends ot' beams C and B', all substantially as set forth.

2. The combinatiomwith the diagonal brace A', attached to the tongue A and crossbrace A2, and connected with the beams S2 and S3 by the angular iron braces A5 and A", of the lever E, connected to the brace A b-y means of the swinging link E2, and having its fulcruln in vertical post E', seated upon beam- B, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the cylinder I), feeding-draper M, fender-board N at the side of draper M, ot' the rotary feed-roller R, attached to posts S5 S5 by means ot' angular arms It' R', provided with slots and attached to posts S5 by bolts a, whereby its position over the cylinder I? and feeder M may be regulated, substantially as shown.

4:. The combination ot' vertical posts S5 S5, attached to the beams S and S',with the angular arms R', having the slots r and attached to posts t5 by bolts a, and carrying the rotary feeder R,provided with teeth, substantially as and for the purposes shown. i

5. The herein described harvest-ing machine, consisting of the tailings trough J, screen J', platform, side bars, K, and 0, the draper L, the feeding-draper M, having the fender-board N at its side, and the cylinder I?, all arranged, substantially as shown, to deliver the tailings from trough J upon draper L.

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6. The combination,with beams C, attached l 5 In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHRISTOPHER GRATTAN.

Witnesses:

ELIHU B. Srown, JosHUA B. WEBSTER. 

